‘Photocopy raj’

Pakistan refuses to reform its archaic bureaucratic processes. Ordinary citizens loaded with worthless photocopies, application forms and affidavits are made to visit, wait and bribe the peons in government offices to receive the most ordinary and mundane services. Here is what a parent has to undergo to obtain a child’s transfer certificate (TC) when relocating from one government school to another. Visit the old school and ask for the TC. You are asked to fill an application form and come again with the filled form along with photocopies of the child’s ‘B Form’, birth certificate and father’s CNIC. Thus, a second visit is required to deposit the assembled documents. You are now told to come after 2 or 3 days.

The third visit (for collection of TC), would invariably result in a standard response: ‘Please come again as the school principal has not been available to sign the TC’. The individual seeking the certificate understands that any arguments could only result in further delay. He obsequiously agrees to make a fourth visit after another two days. This time he is told to wait, as the principal is busy. He waits for an hour or so, till the TC is signed and handed over. Four visits and bundles of irrelevant photocopies of documents already held by the government are the standard operating torture (SOT) for an ordinary citizen to obtain the most routine government services. Pakistan ought to treat its citizens with respect and learn how the world has linked all government services to avoid endless submission of photocopies.

Naeem Sadiq

Karachi